Tillage implement



Dec. 8, 1936. c. T. RAY

TILLAGE IMPLEMENT Filed July 15, 1932 15 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 8, 1936. c. T. RAY

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' TILLAGE IMPLEMENT Filed July 15, 1932 13 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 8, 1936. c. T. RAY

TILLAGE IMPLEMENT Filed July 15, 1932 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 SYWQ/YM C/mr/es 7. Ray,

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T ILLAGE IMPLEMENT Filed July 15, 1932 13 Sheets-Sheet 6 227a gwuantoz Char/es 7.' R94 Dec. 8,1936. v c. T. RAY 2,063,851

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TILLAGE IMPLEMENT Filed July 15, 1932 M M. M W M M W w r w M n mmv b E w E Ma m awn N mh o mN Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TILLAGE IMPLEMENT poration of Delaware Application July 15, 1932, Serial No. 622,757

80 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in combined tractors and agricultural implements designed for row-crop operations and particularly of the type in which the parts which act upon the soil are carried by a wheeled frame formed to provide a longitudinal opening into which the tractor may be driven for assemblage with the implement and from which it may be backed out when the tractor is to be used for purposes other,

than as a propelling means for the implement means being provided 'for releasably attaching the tractor and implement to each other.

These implements are usually of a four-row type and the instant invention, accordingly, illustrates means for the simultaneous treatment of four rows, but this number may be varied and hence in a material sense may be regarded as being exemplary. However, I deem the simultaneous treatment of four rows as being proper, al though I recognize the fact that the principles of the invention are applicable, in substance, to implements designed for the simultaneous treatment of more or less than four rows and hence do not confine myself to that precise number.

In the accompanying description the term tractor is self-explanatory, and includes the parts applied thereto which adapt it for use in relation to the implement. The term implement refers to the wheeled frame with which the tractor is to be releasably connected, together with the means for connecting it to the tractor, and includes the means adapting it to carry the means, hereinafter referred to as attachments, which act upon the land, in planting, in cultivating, or otherwise, and also includes the means by which said attachments are adjusted in regulating the depth at which they are to operate and the connections by which the adjusting means are connected to elements of a power lift mechanism forming part of the tractor.

Attachments of various different types are illustrated in'the accompanying drawings. These attachments are respectively designed for planting, for cultivating, and for the cutting of stalks. The cultivating attachment, moreover, may be of different types, namely, those whose soil treating elements are in the form of shovels or in the form of sweeps or in the form of discs, or selected combinations of shovels, sweeps and discs.

50 One of the important purposes of this invention is to provide a means for connecting-the implement frame to the tractor, characterized in that it permits relative movement of the frame and tractor about a horizontal axis, whereby either 5:. the frame or the tractor may tilt sidewise, one

Another of the important purposes of the in- ,vention is to so construct the implement frame that the portion thereof on either side of the tractor may tilt laterally without imparting tiltingmovement to the portion thereof on the other side of the tractor or to the tractor itself.

Still another important purpose of this invention is to provide a construction of implement frame and adjunctive parts adapting it for the application thereto of attachments of different kinds and for different purposes-such as planting, cultivating, stalk cutting, etc.

A general purpose of the invention is to provide an implement of the type whose front end is releasably connectible to means which will be disposed on opposite sides of the tractor when the implement and tractor are assembled, and which implement is characterized by maximum flexibility of its parts, by the ease with which its groundworking means may be adjusted to operate at different selected depths, may be raised and lowered from and into working position, and may be interchanged quickly to bring about a different operation, as from planting to cultivating, or from either planting or cultivating to stalk cutting, for example.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention and wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a plan View and Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the implement with the tractor in operative relation therewith and with all theattachments omitted; that is to say, these figures illustrate the implement in its assembled relationship with the tractor and in condition to receive any of the attachments which are to be applied thereto according to the nature of the operation to be performed;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the implement, with its attachments omitted and before it has been assembledwith the tractor;

Fig. 4 is'a front elevation of one of the side or half sections of the implement and a part of the other half section, with the tractor and all of the attachments omitted;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the half sections before the tractor or any of the attachments have been applied thereto;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the implement with all of the attachments omitted;

Figs. '7, 7', 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 18 are detail representations of certain of the important parts of the implement;

Fig. 17 is a side elevation of the implement with a planting attachment applied thereto and with the tractor shown in dot-and-dash outline, the planting attachment being illustrated in its transport position;

Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 1'7, but shows the planting attachment in its operative position;

Fig. 19 is a view illustrating two of the planting attachments and particularly intended to show their draft connections to the implement;

Fig. 20 is a detail representation of a part of the means by which the depth at which the pair of planting attachments of either half section of the implement shall operate isadjustably regulatable;

Fig. 21 is a side elevation of the implement and a cultivating attachment applied thereto and shows the tractor in dot-and-dash outline in the position it occupies when either entering or leaving the implement;

Fig. 22 is a detail representation showing a disk which may be employed in lieu of a shovel or a sweep as a ground-treating element;

Fig. 23 is a plan view particularly intended to show the relative position of cultivating attachments applied to either half section of the implement;

Fig. 24 is a diagrammatic representation to suggest the possibility of using disks and shovels or sweeps in certain relative positions upon adjacent cultivating attachments;

Fig. 25 is a view showing the preferred relative arrangement of the disks when employed to replace all the shovels or sweeps;

Fig. 26 is a side elevation of the implement with a stalk cutting attachment applied thereto and shows the same before it has been assembled with the tractor;

Fig. 27 is a detail plan representation particularly intended to show the draft elements of the stalk cutting attachments and the connection of said draft elements to the implement;

Fig. 28'is a front elevation of one of the stalk cutting attachments; and

Fig. 29 is a detail representation of certain parts of the adjusting and tensioning means for the cultivating and stalk cutting attachments.

A designates a tractor adapted for row crop operation. This tractor, except as hereinafter pointed out, may be of any suitable construction for which no novelty is claimed. It is of the type whose rear end is supported by two widely spaced ground-engaging wheels A and whose front end is supported by a pair of ground-engaging wheels A which are mounted close to each other at the longitudinal center of the tractor and are toed in toward each other. (See Fig. 21.)

The main frame of the implement is composed of two similar half sections B, B, each provided with a carrying wheel b, mounted at the outer side of its forward end. These two half sections B, B are spaced from each other transversely of the implement and receive the tractor A between them. Their forward ends are connected with each other and with the front end of the tractor by means characterized in that when said sections are assembled with each other and are in operative relationship with the tractor each section is capable of sidewise tilting movement relatively to the other and to the tractor in accord with the contour of the land engaged by the respective wheels, b, and the tractor similarly is capable of sidewise tilting movement relatively to the said sections in following the contour of the land traversed by the respective tractor wheels A In other words, the connections between the two side sections of the frame and between said sections and the tractor are such that when either wheel I) of the implement or either wheel A of the tractor traverses a hump or hollow suflicient to cause sidewise tilting movement of said section or said tractor, said sidewise tilting movement will not be transmitted to the other section or from the tractor to either section. The frame construction and adjunctive members applicable to allthe attachments will first be described as illustrated by Figs. 1-7, in which all of the attachments are omitted, with reference also to the detail representations in Figs. 7-15, inclusive; and since each half section B is identical with the other half section the description will be particularly directed to the parts of one half section which, it will be understood, are duplicated upon the other half section.

20 designates a transverse frame member to which is connected a member whose major portion (marked 2|) extends diagonally of the frame and whose forward and rearward ends (marked 2| and 2| respectively) extend longitudinally of the frame. These three portions of the member referred to are preferably of integral formation. The longitudinally extending forward end portion 2| is secured to the member 20 near the outer end of the latter. The longitudinally extending rear end portion 2 (see Fig. '7) is mounted in a holder 2| of angular cross section and upon it is superimposed the rear end of a longitudinal member 22, which, also, extends through said holder. A bolt 22 (Fig. 7) extends through the upper and lower members of the holder and through said end portion 2| and the end of the member 22 and rigidly secures these parts to each other within the channel provided by said holder. The member 22 projects rearwardly beyond the rear end of the member 2 l at 22, and when this section B is assembled in operative relationship with the tractor the projecting end 22 is loosely received in a socket (1 provided at the corresponding side of the tractor (see Figs. 1 and 14). The member formed of the parts 2|, 2| and 2 l and the member 22 are preferably metallic and tubular in cross section for the sake of strength without unnecessary weight. The rearwardly projecting ends 22 of the respective longitud nal members 22 receive the thrust imposed by the tractor in propelling the implement and said thrust. is transmitted through the members 22 to the remaining elements of the respective side sections of the frame.

The frame of each side section B also includes a fourth member, 23, which is disposed in a parallel relation with the member 22 and is arranged near the outer side of said section. The members 22 and 23 extend forwardly, as well as rearwardly from the transverse member 20 and are superimposed upon the latter. They are each bent upwardly, commencing at a place somewhat rearward of the member 20, and extend thence horizontally, whereby their forward end portions will be in a lower horizontal plane than their rear end portions. The rear end portion of the member 23 is superimposed on and rigidly secured to, the diagonal member 2|. Bracing members 24, 24, have their rear ends suitably secured at 24' to the portions of the members 22 and 23 which are in the higher plane and their forward portions secured to the front ends of said members 22 and 23, and these bracing members are connected between their ends with said members 22 and. 23 by elements 24" of a supporting and fastening nature. Said bracing members extend substantially horizontally from the higher portions of the respective members 22 and 23 and thence at a downward inclination to the front ends of said members, and the supporting and fastening elements 24" are arranged adjacent the junctions of their horizontal and inclined portions. Accordingly, they form braces of a truss naturel The front ends of .the members 22 and 23 and braces 24, 24 are secured to and support a transverse member 25 which is disposed forward of the member 20 and is preferably angular in cross section. Extending downwardly from the horizontal part of the member 20 are four hangers 26, the upper end of each of which is secured preferably by two locking nuts 23 respectively arranged above and .below the horizontal part of the member 25. (See Fig. 4.)

The lower end of each hanger 26 is formed to provide a bearing and the bearings of two adjacent hangers respectively receive projections 21', 21'', extending laterally, in opposite directions, from the free end of the corresponding side arms of an arch-shaped member 21. (See Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 10.) Sleeves 28 are rotatably mounted on the lateral projections 21, 21", andeach of these sleeves is provided at its inner end with a crank arm 28 for a purpose hereinafter explained. These crank arms are rigidly connected with their respective sleeves. A clamp 28 is mounted upon each sleeve and is keyed thereto to rotate therewith, as shown best in Figs. 7, 10 and 11. Each clamp is provided with a rearwardly extending lug or projection 29 formed with anopening 29 The forward ends of the planting, cultivating or other attachments, are connected to the lugs or projections 29*, said attachments having downward projections, hereinafter set forth, which respectively enter the openings 29 The clamps 29 thus provide means by which a tractive connection is effected between the archshaped members 21 and the sleeves 28, through which forward movement of the implement is transmitted to the attachments. It is to be noted that the sides of the arch-shaped member 21 and the hangers 26 extend downwardly at the sides of the respective plant rows.

The lateral projections 21 of the two archshaped members 21 of each half section of the frame extend through the corresponding sleeves 28 and toward each other from the inner ends of said sleeves, preferably into an abutting relationship with each other, as shown in Fig. 10. Surrounding the portions of these projections 21 which lie between the confronting faces of the cranks. 28 at the ends of the corresponding sleeve 28 is a spacing sleeve which in practice is preferably formed of complementary semi-cylindrical half sections, 32, 32', secured by bolts 3| to each other and to said projections 21". Hence the two arch-shaped members 21 of each half section of the frame are rigidly secured to each other. In fact, the pair of arch-shaped members 21, the forward portions of the longitudinal frame members 22 and 23, the transverse frame member 24 and the pair of hangers 26, form a rigid frame structure adapting the main frame of the implement to support certain different kinds of attachments, for different agricultural operations, respectively, (as cultivating, planting, etc.) whose forward ends are connected to said frame through the medium of the clamps 29 hereinbefore referred to.

It will be understood that there is one archshaped member 21 for each row to be planted, cultivated or otherwise treated and that the central portion of each arch is positioned above the corresponding row. It will also be understood that the term -row as used herein means the line along which the seeds are planted or from which the growing plants extend.

As has already been stated, the foregoing description of the construction of the main frame of the implement, including the hangers, archshaped members, and the adjuncts to which the attachments are to be connected, while particularly directed to one of the two side sections of the implement, applies equally to the other half section, and the latter, accordingly need not be described in detail.

Reference has already been made to the fact that these two side sections of the frame are pivotally connected with each other to have relative movement about a horizontal axis in following the contour of the land traversed by their respective wheels, b, b. The means for thus connecting them with each other is shown best in Figs. 4 and 12 and is as follows:

The confronting ends of the front longitudinal members 20, 20 are respectively provided with hinging projections 33, which extend from said members into an overlapping relationship with each other and have their overlapping ends journalled upon a horizontal'pivot bolt 34. The ends of said projections opposite the pivot bolt are rigidly secured to the ends of the respective frame members 20. Said pivot bolt is supported by a hanger 35 which has an eye 36 at its lower end and a flange 31 above said eye. For a purpose to be hereinafter explained, the upper end of the hanger 35 is adjustably secured to a bridging member 38, through which it extends. A convenient means for attaching it adjustably to said bridging member includes a nut 39 upon the upper end of the hanger. A wear plate 40 is preferably provided between the nut 39 and the upper surface of the bridging member 38. This bridging member 38 is provided near its ends with devices, 4|, here shown as screws whose upper ends are formed into cranks H to enable them to be conveniently turned by hand. When the two side sections B, B of the main frame of the implement are in an assembled relationship with each other, but are not connected to the tractor, these two screws are turned down to impinge upon the upper surfaces of the respective members 20, and thereby hold said members, and consequently the said side sections, in a relationship which is rigid one with the other When, however, these sections are in an operative relationship with the tractor the bridging member is in a position in which the ends of the screws 4| will not be in the path of pivotal movement of either section, as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 1. If desired, the bridging member may be pivotally mounted upon the hanger 35 to be movable out of the path of pivotal movement of members 20 when the latter have been released for their said pivotal movement, but pivotal mounting of the bridging member on the hanger is not essential.

Connection between the members 20 and the front end of the tractor is effected through the medium of a bracket which, as shown best in Fig. 12, includes a base flange 42, a pair of spaced jaws 43 and a member 44 which projects upward from the base flange and carries said jaws. This bracket is secured to the front end of the tractor by appropriate fastening elements which extend through openings 42 in the base flange l2, and, when the tractor is in operative relationship with the implement, the jaws 43 extend into the space between the flange 31 of the hanger and the under surface of the bridging member 38 and are disposed on opposite sides of the stem of the hanger 35. A wear plate 40' secured to the under surface of the bridging member is interposed between the latter and said jaws. When the tractor and implement are thus amembled, the bridging member 3. acts as a pad between the nut 39 and the upper surfaces of the jaws 43, through which pad the weight of the transverse frame members is imposed upon the upper surfaces of said jaws.

In bringing about this assemblage the tractor is moved into the space between the longitudinal frame members 22 of the two side sections of the main frame, until the jaws 43 pass on either side of the stem of the hanger 35. At this time said members 22 will have been caused to enter the sockets a, at the corresponding sides of the.

tractor. It will be noticed (see Fig. 14) that the mouths of these sockets are bell-shaped or flared to facilitate entrance of the ends of the members 22 into the sockets. The relative sizes of the inner portions of the sockets, in which the members 22 are to be seated, and said members are such as to provide clearance sufficient to enable the tractor to tilt sidewise without communicating similar movement to the implement. It will also be noticed (see Fig. 12) that the space between the jaws 43 is flared to facilitate the entrance of the hanger 35 thereinto. Pins 45 (Fig. 15) which are adapted to extend loosely through openings 45 in the projecting ends 22 of the respective members- 22, are inserted when the parts have been assembled and hold the frame of the implement against longitudinal movement relatively to the tractor. It will be understood that, when these pins have been thus inserted through said sockets a through the ends 22 of the members 22, it will be impossible for the hanger 25 to be released from the jaw members of the bracket. In order to prevent excessive wear, the hanger is adjusted upwardly by the nut 29 to thereby draw the flange 31 up under the bridging member 28.

When it is desired to disconnect the tractor from the implement, the pins are withdrawn to thereby release the members 22. The nut 39 is then slackened and the bridging member 38 is turned to bring its screws 4| into impinging relationship with the members 20. These screws are then turned to release the bridging member from its tight frictional engagement with the jaws 43. The tractor may now be backed out of the implement, assuming that other connections, hereinafter set forth, between the attachments and the tractor have also been released.

Legs 46, having ground-engaging foot pieces 46, are employed as supports for the implement when the tractor is not in operative relationship with the latter. These legs are shown in their implement-supporting position in Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 26. When the tractor is in operative relationship with the implement, they are in an elevated position out of contact with the land. As here shown, they are pivoted at their upper ends to an appropriate member of the frame of the implement, as at 45, whereby they are adapted to lie horizontally against said' frame member when in non-operating position, as shown in Figs. 17 and 18. When in their latter position they are held by keepers 46''. Thus, they co-operate with the wheels b, b in supporting the frame and its attachments. They are swung downward into implement-supporting position before the tractor is withdrawn from the implement and remain in said position until the tractor has been reconnected to the implement. They are preferably of telescopic nature, as shown, to adapt their length to be regulated so as to effectively engage the land.

The wheels b, are of castering nature and, as here shown, are'mounted in yokes 41 from whose upper ends pivots 18 extend and are journalled in brackets 49 mounted upon the ends of the transverse members 20, respectively. The brackets are braced by members 49.

Each half section of the main frame of the implement is provided with a mechanism of special nature, for variably regulating the depth at which the corresponding attachments, when of planting or cultivating nature, shall work and for variably tensioning said attachments to cause them to work at the depth to which they have been set, regardless of the contour of the land, and also for raising and lowering the attachments. When the attachments are of stalk cutting nature the mechanism referred to serves to hold the cutting elements thereof down upon the land with a yielding pressure suflicient to cause them to rotate by their engagement with the land and to overcome their tendency to stop rotating or to rebound when they come into contact with stalks to be severed. Since these mechanisms of the respective half sections are duplicates of each other a description of one of the same will be understood as applying to the other.

50, 50 (see Fig. 1) designate transverse rock shafts respectively journalled on the corresponding half sections of the main frame of the implement. Near the inner end of each rock shaft-that is, near the end thereof adjacent the tractor when the implement is attached to the tractor-there is secured, as by a pin 50', (Fig. 8) the upper end of a crank arm 5|. A sleeve 52 is mounted near the outer end of each of said shafts and is fixed thereto, as by a pin 52'. A second crank arm, 53, is mounted on each rock shaft adjacent the crank arm 5|. This second crank arm is mounted to be movable pivotally relatively to the crank arm 5| and about the shaft 50 as its axis, being carried by a sleeve 54, mounted loosely-on said shaft. The crank arm 53 and sleeve 54 are preferably integral with each other. Each sleeve 52, 54 is provided with a pair of connected side arms which project forward from the ends thereof and are rigid therewith, being preferably of integral formation with their sleeves. The arms of the sleeve 52 are marked 55, 55 and the arms of the sleeve 54 are marked 56, 56. The arms 55, 55 and 56, 55, together with their sleeves 52 and 54, form lifting yokes and are operatively related to tensioned lifting rods-l5 whose lower ends are respectively adapted for connection to the frame of the planting, cultivating or stalk cutting attachments, as hereinafter particularly set forth.

5! and 58 designate two manually operable levers which are mounted on each half or side section B of the implement frame and are arranged to be within convenient reach of the operator on the seat of the tractor.

It will be recalled that the rear end 2| of one longitudinalmember' andthe rear end of a second longitudinal member 22 of each section of the main frame of the implement are mounted one upon the other and extend through a holder 2| within which they are rigidly secured to each other and to said holder by a bolt '82 (Fig. fl). 59 and 66 designate members which complementarily form a slide. These members 59, 66 are provided with bosses 59', 66 arranged above and below the holder 2|, and bolts 59, 66 'extend through these bosses and rigidly secure the members 59 and 66 to each other, into a unitary structure. The member 59, which forms one side of the slide, has its upper end formed to provide a toothed segment 6I.

The lever 51 is fulcrumed, between its ends, to the slide member 59, at 51', and is provided with a spring-pressed latch 62 to engage in any of the teeth of the segment 6 I. This latch serves to hold the lever 51 in any position to which it has been set relatively to said segment and is connected, as usual, with a grip member 63, pivoted at 63 to the lever 51. In the illustrated embodiment, the connection between the latch and its grip member is provided by prolonging the stem, 62, of the latch and pivoting its upper end to the grip member.

The member 66 of the slide is provided with an arm 65 (see Figs. 5, 6, 18 and 22) which is preferably integral therewith and projects forwardly therefrom and is connected to the fast crank 5| by a pivot 66 (see Fig. 8). To this pivot 66 the lever 58, also, is connected by a means which includes a link whose forward end is mounted on the pivot 66 and to whose rear end a member of a power lift mechanism, hereinafter described, is pivotally connected at 69'. This link (see Figs. 5, 6,16, 17,18, 22 and 26) is composed of two members 68 and 69 having pin and slot connections with each other, as

shown at 16, 16, and it extends in a downward and rearward direction from the pivot 66 (upon whichits member in Fig. 8) to the pivotal point 69'. The lever 58 is fulcrumed near its lower end, at 69", upon the link-member 69 and its lower end is connected with the link-member 68 by a link 1I. Said member 69 is provided with a toothed segment 12 which cooperates with a spring-pressed latch 13, carried by the lever 58, in holding the latter and consequently the link members 68 and 69 in the positions to which they'have been adjusted-relatively to each other. The latch 13 is connected with a grip member 13 to be con veniently releasable, from the toothed segment, as usual.

It will be evident that by releasing the lever 58 from the segment 12 and moving its upper end forward or rearward about its fulcrum upon the link-member 69, power will be applied from the lower end of said lever and through the link H to the complementary link-member 68 which thereby will be caused to slide relatively to said member 69 to the limit of the movement permitted by the slot and pin connection with each other. This movement increases or reduces the length of the link, considered as a whole, and correspondingly increases or reduces the distance between the pivot 66 at the forward end of the member 68 and the pivotal connection, at 69', of the member 69 with a member of the power lift mechanism, hereinafter described. By said movement of the member 68 corresponding movement is given the fast crank arm and thence to the shaft 56 and, through said shaft 56,.to the sleeve 52 fixedly secured to the other end of the shaft.

The loose sleeve 54 is moved rotatively on the shaft 58 by alternately employed connectionsone of which is used when the planting attachments are operatively connected to the main 68 'is mounted, as shown best frame of the implement and the other when the cultivating or stalk cutting attachments are employed in the stead of the planting attachments. The connection for rotating the loose sleeve when the cultivating or stalk cutting attachments are in use is provided by a link 14 (see Figs. 22 and 26) whose rear end is connected to the lever 51 and whose forward end is connected to the loose crank arm 53 projecting from said loose sleeve. This link is arranged to be disconnected from said lever and loose sleeve when the planting attachments are to be used. In the latter case, (see Figs. 17 and 18) the connection to said loose sleeve includes the slide arm 65 and a detachable link I14 which connects said arm 65 to the crank arm 53 of said loose sleeve, and is substituted for the link 14: it being recalled that the arm 65 projects from the member 66 of the slide and is mounted at its forward end upon the pivot 66 of the fast crank arm. In short, when the cultivating or stalk cutting attachments are in use the loose sleeve 54 is rocked from the lever 51, through the link 14, whereas when the planting attachments are in use said loose sleeve is rocked from the lever 58 through the medium of the fast crank arm 5I, slide arm 65 and the slide, and the member I14.

In making the change to adapt this part of the mechanism to the cultivating and stalk cutting attachments, it is necessary only to disconnect the member I14 from the loose crank arm 53 and to connect said loose crank arm with the lever 51 by the link 14: and to change this part of the mechanism to adapt it to the planting attachments, it is necessary only to remove said link 14 and connect opposite ends of the member I14 to the slide arm 65 and the loose crank arm 53.

It will be apparent that rotative movement of the fast sleeve 52 will correspondingly raise or lower the arms 55 which project from said sleeve and that rotative movement of the loose sleeve 54 will correspondingly raise or lower the arms 56, projecting from the latter sleeve. In fact, the sleeve 52 forms a hub through which the inner ends of the arms 55 are connected with each other and are secured to the rock shaft 56 by the pin 52': and the sleeve 54 forms ahub through which the arms 56 are connected with each other at their inner ends and are journalled on said rock shaft.

The arms 55 and sleeve 52 form a yoke-shaped lifting member. A transverse brace 55 connects said arms to each other intermediate the ends of the arms. The free ends of said arms and brace are arranged to provide a pair of spacedforward projections 55*, 55 at each side of the forward end of the member. The arms 56 and sleeve 54 similarly are arranged to form a yoke-shaped lifting member and a transverse brace 56' is provided to connect the arms with each other between their ends. In this member, as in the other yoke-shaped lifting member, the forward ends of the arm 56 and brace 56 are arranged to provide a pair of spaced forward projections 56, 56 at the opposite sides of the forward ends of this member. Mounted in the spaces between the projections 55*, 55 and in the spaces between the projections 56, 56 are trunnion rings 18. The lifting rods 15 and 16, extend loosely through these rings and are provided with tensioning springs I68 andappurtenant adjustable stops or abut-ments I66 and I61, preferably in the form of collars slidably adjustable upon the rods and held in place by set screws, or other suitable fastening elements. The function of these rods will hereinafter be particularly described.

In practice, there are four planting attachments provided for the complete machinetwo for each side or half section B of the implement. (See Fig. 19.) Each may be of any type or construction appropriate for use in a machine of this kind. Confining the description to the one shown in Figs. 17 and 18, which will be understood as applying equally to each of the others, since all are of like construction; its frame includes two longitudinal side members 84 which are spaced apart to receive the ground-engaging press wheel 95 and the seed chute 86 and opener 81 between them. Supported by said side members 94 is a seed hopper 89. Operatively related to this seed hopper is any suitable seed dropping mechanism operated by power derived from the travel of the wheel 65. It is unnecessary to enter into a description of the seed dropping mechanism, since a particular construction thereof does not form a part of this invention. It will be understood that the means for operating the seed dropping mechanism may be of any appropriate nature. The means here shown comprises a crank arm 89 attached to the axle of the wheel 85, a second crank arm, 90, connected to an appropriate element of the seed dropping mechanism and a link 9| connecting these two crank arms with each other.

The two side members 84 are brought together forward of the opener 8! and are mounted in a housing 92 upon a pivot bolt 92' which extends across said housing. This housing projects forward beyond the front ends of the member 84 and to its front end a sweep beam 93 is rigidly secured. The rear portion of this beam is curved and secured to the front end of the housing 92 at a place intermediate the top and bottom of its curved end. The bottom of the beam carries a sweep 94. The upper portion of the beam extends forwardly from the curved rear portion and has its front end arranged for attachment to the lower end of a link 95, hereinafter described. 96, 96' designate side members of-a yoke-shaped draft element whose closed (rear) end 96 extends transversely of and is journalled within the housing 92. The free ends of these arms are provided with downward projections 91, 91, to be received, respectively, by the openings 29'' in the lugs 29 which project from the clamps 29. It will be recalled that four of these clamps 29 are secured to the sleeves 29 and that these sleeves are rotatably mounted upon the laterally projecting ends 21' and 21 of the arch-shaped members 21, and it will be understood that the side arms of each draft yoke are connected to two of these clamps through the medium of theprojections 91, 91' at the free ends of said arms and the lugs 29 formed as a part of the clamps.

Suitable set screws 92* threaded, above and below, in the housing 92 are employed to adjust the positions of the side members 84 of the frame of the planting attachment relatively to the housing 92. The planter frame is provided with means of any suitable nature to which the lifting rods 15 are releasably connectible, the illustrated means for the purpose comprising a body member 96 (Fig. 19) which is suitably secured to the side members 94 of the frame and is formed with end flanges 99' having openings to receive the lower ends of said rods 15, the said ends being bent laterally to enter said open- H 88.

It has been previously stated that the sweep beam 93 has its forward end arranged for attachment to the lower end of a link 95. It will be understood that since there are two planting attachments for each side or half section B of the implement, there will accordingly be two links 95 for the attachment thereto of the respective sweep beams.93. Upon reference to Fig. 20 it will be noticed that one of these links 95 has its upper end pivoted to one arm 99 of a bell crank lever, which bell crank lever is fixed to a rock shaft I00. The opposite end of this rock shaft is provided with a crank arm IOI to which the upper end of the link 95 of the other sweep beam is pivoted. As shown in Figs. 17 and 18, the bell crank lever has its arm 99' connected by a reach rod I02 with the lever 51 at a point above the fulcrum 51' of said lever. Each rock shaft extends transversely of the corresponding half or side section B and is mounted in bearings I suitably secured to appropriate members of the frame as indicated in Figs. 17 and 18.

Adjustment of the two planting attachments connected to either half or side section B of the implement in accord with the depth at which the seeds shall be planted is effected by swinging the upper end of the lever 51 rearward about its fulcrum 51' thereby correspondingly moving the reach rod I02 and turning the rock shaft I09 in its bearings. By this movement of the rock shaft the links 95 of both planting attachments are forced downward, thereby correspondingly lowering the front ends of the frames of the planting attachments through the medium of the sweep beams 93 since said beams are attached to the forward ends of said frames. When the depth at which the planter shall work has been thus initially regulated, the lever 51 is latched to its segment'Gl to thereby hold the parts in adjusted position. The lever 58 is then released from its segment 12 and is operated to move the forward link-members 68 rearward upon its complementary link member 69, to the limit of the slots in said member 69. This movement imparts corresponding rearward movement to the fast crank arm to which said link-member 69 is connected. It also moves the slide members 59, 60 forward and hence imparts similar sliding movement to the arm 55 which is connected to said member 66'. Since this arm 65 is connected by the member I14 to the loose crank arm 53 the latter, with its loose sleeve 54 is turned on the shaft 56 and imparts corresponding movement to the lifting arms 56. Accordingly, said arms 55 and 56 are simultaneously swung downward by corresponding movement of the lever 59. Such downward movement of the outer ends of the lifting arms 55 and 56 is transmitted to the rods 15 through the trunnion rings 18, springs I08 and nuts i 06, thereby imposing downward pressure on the frames of the planting attachments and this pressure operates to cause the ground-working parts to enter the soil at the beginning of the planting operation and to hold said groundworking parts and press wheels under tension which causes them to perform their respective functions effectively at the depth for which they have been set and to maintain said depth regardless of irregularities in the contour of the land in which the attachments are working. By adjusting the conection between the link 95 and the crank arm I DI, the depth of entry of the sweep 94 into the ground is controlled.

For lifting the attachments from their working position to their fully raised or transport position and for lowerin them from their said transport position to their working position, I have provided a power lift" mechanism under control of the operative of the tractor and operated by power derived from the tractor. This power lift mechanism includes a clutch mounted on one side of the tractor and comprising a power driven driving member I09' and a driven member I09 which is normally disconnected from the driving member, together with elements of appropriate nature for clutching the driven member to the driving member under control of the operator of the tractor and for releasing it automatically from said driving member when it has made a predetermined partial revolution (preferably one-half of a complete revolution). Since the details of this clutch are not essentially a part of the present invention, it is deemed to be unnecessary to recite said details herein. A ball I I iournalled on the under side of the frame of the tractor and extending transversely thereof, is suitably connected with the driven member I08 of the clutch to cause it to be swung in clockwise and counterclockwise directions by successive partial revolutions of the clutch, and this bail is also suitably connected with the link members 69 to impart corresponding swinging movements to the latter. As shown in Figs. 17 and 18 the side arm H0" at the side of the implement seen in these said figures is provided with a plurality of projections III .and H3 respectively. Theprojection III has its upper end connected by a link II! to the driven member of the clutch and the projection H3 has its upper end pivoted directly to the rear end of the link member 59, at 69. It will be understood that the bail arm I I0 at the other side of the tractor is provided with projections corresponding to the projections III and H3, and that the projection III has connection, through appropriate means, with the driven member of the clutch and the projection H3 is pivoted to the rear link member 69 at the corresponding side of the implement. In this embodiment of the invention a pedal I I4, arranged to be within convenient reach of the operator on the seat of the tractor is moved by said operator to initiate the operation of clutching the driven member I09 to the driving member I09. The clutch and its operating means, together with its connection to the bail is shown and described in an application for Letters Patent of the United States executed by me ofeven date herewith and entitled Farm tractors," now Patent Number 2,051,896, issued Aug.'25, 1936. It is preferred, as shown in the said application, that there be only one of the clutch mechanisms employed and that said mechanism be suitably connected with the bail arm at the side of the tractor opposite the clutch member as well as with the bail arm on the side of the tractor upon which the clutch movement the outer ends of the arms 0 of the ball will be swung in clockwise direction'and will transmit corresponding swinging movement to the rear ends of the link-members 69, thereby swinging the fast crank arms 5| of both half or side sections B of the implement rearward a corresponding distance. This movement of the fast crank arms imparts rotative movement to both rockshafts 50' and to the lifting arms 55 carried by the sleeves 52 which are fast to said rock shafts. The referred to swinging movement of the crank arms 5| also imparts sliding movement to the slides composed of the members 59 and 60, through the arms 65 attached to the members 60, and since said arms 65 are connected to the loose sleeves 54 carrying the lifting arms 56, it will be evident that all of the lifting arms of both side or half sections B are raised simultaneously. The upward swinging movement thus given the outer ends of the lifting arms 55 and 56 is transmitted to the lifting rods 15 through the medium of the stop collars I01 which are engaged with the upper surfaces of said rods, and by this movement of the rods the planting attachments are raised to their referred to transport positions.

When it is desired to lower the planting at: tachments for operation, the pedal H4 is again pressed, thereby initiating movement of the clutch thro'ughout the remaining one-half of a complete revolution, during, which the parts referred to operate in directions the reverse of those set forth in connection with the raising operation-except that the lifting rods are forced downward by corresponding downward move-1- ment of the trunnion rings with the respective lifting arms, this movement being transmitted to said lifting rods from said trunnion through the springs I08 and collars I06.

Movement. of the planting attachments from working to transport position and from transport to working position, resulting from the operation of the power lift mechanism, are about the projections 21' and 21" of the arch-shaped members 21 as the axes of such movement. In these movements the frame of the planting attachments, the draft yokes, clamps 29 and sleeves 28 move as a. unit about said projections 21, 21" and the sweep beams 93 and their links 95 swing accordingly. The movements of the planting attachments, however, in the operation thereof resulting from unevenness in the soil, are about the rear (closed) ends, 96, of the draft yokes as the axes of such movement. 'It will be understood that any tendency to upward movement of the planting attachment resulting from a hump or the like will tend to increase the tension of the springs I08 and that the latter are operative at all times to press the frame and the press wheel of the frame downward to thereby cause the planting attachments to perform their functions effectively.

When the planting attachments are operatively related to the frame of the implement and it is desired to employ thecultivating attachments, the reach rods I02 are removed and the connections between the arms .65 and the loose crank arms 53 are broken by removingthe members I14: the sweep beams 93 are disconnected from the links 95 and the side arms 96, 96 of the draft yokes are disconnected from the lugs 29'- by removing the projections 91, 91' at the forward ends of said side arms from the holes 29 in said lugs. The lower end of each lever 51 is now connected with the corresponding loose crank shaft 53 by a link 14 (see Fig. 22) whose rear end is connected to the levers 51 by a pivot pin I4 which may extend through any one of a series of openings 14 provided in said lever below the fulcrum of ,the'latter. It will be understood that when the cultivating attachments are to be employed, in lieu of the planting attachments, the links 14 provide substitutes for the members I". 

